Is $100 the standard rate for 2nd videographer (weddings)

Giroud Francois · December 27th, 2007, 11:53 AM

no unfortunately , i am too old to had the chance of getting the lightweight SIG 550.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIG_SG_550
i use to hold the heavy and retired SIG 510 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIG_SG_510

But thanks to this training, i have no fear to lift a FX1 for several hours

Steve House · December 27th, 2007, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Davis

So if you get hired for $100 per hour to shoot a three hour wedding, you'll be able to pay about 10% of your rent.

If Jenna gets $100 for the day, she'll be able to pay 20% of her rent.

I think Jenna got a better deal! ;)

Where in any major or medium city in North America can you rent even a bachelor apt for $500 a month???? Let's get real - in most urban areas, at least those I'm familiar with, $500 will get you one room with a pull-down Murphy bed to sleep on and a two-burner hotplate in lieu of a kitchen. Seriously, for anything except the slums you'll need to at least double or triple the result you get when you say $100 is 20% of the rent and multiply it out. I'm in the Toronto area where the selling price of an average existing 2 bedroom home in outlying working class/middle class neighborhood is upwards of $375000 to $500000 and 2 bedroom mid-range condos in the city itself start at a mere $750,000 to a million five. There ain't no way in the world you can cover that mortgage on $100 per day one or two days a week, much less once or twice a month.

Meryem Ersoz · December 27th, 2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenna Klingensmith

I'd really like to use some of my own footage for a demo, but he keeps putting off giving it to me.

you don't need to rely on the footage that you shoot for him to generate a demo. go offer your services and shoot a few public service announcements or do some web work for a few non-profits--you're willing to work for free anyway, you might as well milk it for the footage and the chance to work for some interesting people who may hire you later, for real. if they put it on their website, then you can link to it or direct clients to it. sprinkle it with the wedding footage you already shot. you don't have to use images of the same people, maybe you shot the presents, or the altar, or something. add a few filters, play with the color correction make it look like several different weddings. a little footage can go a long way.

you can have a working demo in no time, instead of wasting your breath concocting excuses for why you don't and then blaming this guy for the outcome.

video work is nearly never about what the other guy is or isn't doing, it's 99% about what you are doing.

Dennis Murphy · December 27th, 2007, 01:37 PM

2nd Cam wedding cameramen sleep in tents and live purely on noodles.
Everybody knows that.

Chris Davis · December 27th, 2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve House

Where in any major or medium city in North America can you rent even a bachelor apt for $500 a month????

As mentioned earlier in this thread, Jenna lives near Youngstown, OH. Median gross monthly rent in 2005 for Youngstown (according to city-data.com): $493.

Nyah nyah nyah! :)

Jenna Klingensmith · January 2nd, 2008, 02:54 PM

Hey everyone,
So I did the shoot, he ended up giving me $125 because the day was going to be longer than he expected. I did ask for him to bring a copy of the previous weddings, he brought one, and it was just the ceremony (and I really wanted the reception part, I got plenty of good shots) The copy he gave me of the ceremony skips, and I'm not to happy about that, he said he'd give me the reception, I guess he just didn't have time to make a copy.

To answer Michael Nistler, we haven't discussed most of those issues. If my gear gets broken or stolen, I'm sure I'd be screwed. Unless he was somehow responsible.. If I get hurt on the job, then, once again, I'd be screwed, I do recieve a meal however, and I am required to dress up, which does entitle me to go out and buy a new wardrobe. He always goes to the rehearsal, and then fills me in the next day. If the wedding is far away, I drive to his place which is about 25 minutes away, and he drives the rest of the way. So I then don't have to worry about gas, tolls, or mileage on my own car. He also provides the tapes, a tripod (cause I've yet to invest in a professional one), and sometimes he lets me borrow a battery if mine run out, I also work the entire day with him. I think that answers all of the questions

Sometimes I feel like there is no need for a second camera during the photoshot, I always think to myself "why am I filming this.. they are getting pictures of it! " Unless something funny happens, or they are interesting photos, then I feel as if it'll bore even the bride and groom to watch, once they've already seen the photos. Let alone.. two of us are filming it, so we're just getting different angles.

The other day during photos, I literally turned my camera off, because there was probably about 30 people in this room, taking pictures, most of them were standing around watching (which means they were standing in my way) So the other videographer had a good spot to film the photos, but I did not, so instead of wasting my battery or wasting tape that I knew wouldn't be used, I just waited until they moved from that area.

Oh, and around 6, I was starving, Of course it was a reception with a buffet, but we were provided with no seating and no silverware. We ended up eating in a hallway, and had to track down caterers to fetch us some silverware. Lol.

Eric Stemen · January 2nd, 2008, 10:43 PM

What type of camera do you have again?

I think $150 and you buying your own tapes would be more fair.

The guy I work for is very generous. I got $400 for a days worth of shooting....but then again I bring equal to and a few nicer items to the table.

However, I started out doing just the ceremony for $100 and had the nicest camera(vx-2000)

Chris Hurd · January 2nd, 2008, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenna Klingensmith

The other day during photos, I literally turned my camera off, because there was probably about 30 people in this room, taking pictures, most of them were standing around watching (which means they were standing in my way)

But that's the shot... of those 30 people, that is.

Jenna, I certainly hope you take the advice which Meryem and other folks here have offered. Time to put this experience behind you, and move onward and upward.

Jenna Klingensmith · January 2nd, 2008, 11:44 PM

I don't quite feel ready to go out on my own just yet. I have very little to put towards a demo, in fact, the first wedding I did, I don't really feel would be that flattering in my demo, as it was a free job, (of course that part doesn't matter) the wedding itself wasn't nearly as glamorous as the weddings I've seen in many of the demo's people have posted on here. Then I've got the ceremony footage from another wedding I did, which was given to me on dvd, and when played back, is extremely choppy (I did ask for another copy, and in addition a copy of the reception)

It's all a bit overwelming for me, getting a website, making a demo, and trying to market myself. Especially at such a young age (21), with one camera, I feel that I need to continue freelancing for a while, because honestly, I don't think it'll fly if I try to do this on my own right now. I feel like I should wait ten years before I even start, lol. (maybe I'll look like I'm 20 by then) I'd like to say I'll have a website up and running by mid-year, and thats my goal for now. Beyond that, I don't know what the future holds.

Chris Hurd · January 3rd, 2008, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenna Klingensmith

Especially at such a young age (21)...

Please don't take this the wrong way, but 21 is not such a young age (well in some ways it is, youthful good looks, for instance, but for business purposes, 12 is young, 21 is prime). Whatever you do, don't wait -- for anything. The right time is always now.

Gabe Strong · January 3rd, 2008, 01:39 AM

What Chris said!!!! I am nowhere near as good as most of the people here in the wedding forum, I watch the videos they share and wish I could do what they can. But I try to concentrate on doing a solid job, maybe it's not spectacular, but it doesn't suck either. I've done pretty good business that way, honestly being nice to the couple and going the extra mile for them will go a heck of a long way to giving you a reputation as the wedding videographer that couples want to hire.

Daniel Lippman · January 3rd, 2008, 09:09 AM

"12 is young"

As a 12 year old, I take offense at that!
No, seriously. Don't be afraid to get out there and do it! I'm not 12, but I'm not 21 either. I guess I kinda fall in between, at 16. I'm working my own business part-time and making $100-$125 for approximately two hours of work(not counting the editing, approximately the same amount of time, so really, you can half that if you count my editing.) That still comes out to $50-$63 for a part time job. Every 6 weeks I do this, and while I couldn't live off of it, I'm going to school at the same time, I have plenty of time to do other stuff if I feel like it, and since I'm not paying for food or rent, I can put almost all of that money straight back into toys for myself. I have tons of fun, and I could definitely see myself doing this for a living. I hope that you go out there and do it, because you won't regret it!

Travis Cossel · January 3rd, 2008, 06:23 PM

I just thought I'd drop my 2 cents worth in here.

While you might only be getting $100 for your time that day, the primary shooter is only getting $1400 to cover his own shooting time for that day PLUS . . advertising costs, marketing materials, time spent developing advertising and marketing materials, business rent, office expenses and utilities, educational expenses, time spent meeting with the couple, paying for new equipment (and repairs) and media and software, time spent editing (LOTS of time invested here), producing DVD's and so on.

Also, while you might feel you're "experienced" after 3 or 4 weddings, you aren't. I have assistants that have been working with me for years and their footage still is nowhere near as good as my own. I probably only use 10% (or less) of my assistant's footage from the wedding day. Part of the problem is that when you don't edit what you shoot, it's hard to know what you're doing wrong. Part of it is the fact that when I shoot for a client I'm shooting for MY OWN business, which makes me more invested in getting great footage. And honestly, part of it is just that you have to shoot A LOT of weddings (a lot means dozens and dozens over the course of years) to really become experienced at it.

I'm not saying you aren't worth more than $100, because I've never seen your footage. However, I feel pretty confident in saying that you're probably getting paid just about right considering your experience. In the end, though, you'll work for what you and the guy who is paying you thinks is fair. Best of luck to you!

Dave Blackhurst · January 3rd, 2008, 07:21 PM

Excellent point Travis - you never realize how good or bad your footage is until you must sit down and hammer it into something representing a "final product". It's one thing to shoot footage/pictures, it's an entirely different thing to shoot USABLE stuff!

If anyone could do it, you'd get great pictures back from those silly disposable cams I see at many weddings...

The more you shoot the more you develop your eye and your technique - it may come easy if you're talented, or a bit harder if you're bull headed enough to keep at it <wink>!

Allen Plowman · January 3rd, 2008, 07:29 PM

my 3 cents worth. I do instructional videos, so I own the equipment, but I do not do weddings yet. I am getting married this May, about 150 miles away. the only people I know that could possibly run my cameras are in the wedding. I placed an ad on craigslist, offering 250 dollars for an operator to run two camera for the wedding. I felt 250 for a half days work was fair, using my equipment. I got over a dozen responses, at least half have a bachelors degree in fine arts, and two had a masters degree. most have a very impressive resume and experience. it blew me away what I can hire for that price. several offered to use there own equipment for the same price. I know I could still end up with a lousy cameraperson, however what surprised me was the number of people willing to work for that price, in that area. so I assume I could book a wedding, hire a cameraperson, and never leave my house. is 100 dollars fair for a second camera operator? I would assume it would depend on the demand in your area.

January 3rd, 2008, 06:23 PM	#43
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	I just thought I'd drop my 2 cents worth in here. While you might only be getting $100 for your time that day, the primary shooter is only getting $1400 to cover his own shooting time for that day PLUS . . advertising costs, marketing materials, time spent developing advertising and marketing materials, business rent, office expenses and utilities, educational expenses, time spent meeting with the couple, paying for new equipment (and repairs) and media and software, time spent editing (LOTS of time invested here), producing DVD's and so on. Also, while you might feel you're "experienced" after 3 or 4 weddings, you aren't. I have assistants that have been working with me for years and their footage still is nowhere near as good as my own. I probably only use 10% (or less) of my assistant's footage from the wedding day. Part of the problem is that when you don't edit what you shoot, it's hard to know what you're doing wrong. Part of it is the fact that when I shoot for a client I'm shooting for MY OWN business, which makes me more invested in getting great footage. And honestly, part of it is just that you have to shoot A LOT of weddings (a lot means dozens and dozens over the course of years) to really become experienced at it. I'm not saying you aren't worth more than $100, because I've never seen your footage. However, I feel pretty confident in saying that you're probably getting paid just about right considering your experience. In the end, though, you'll work for what you and the guy who is paying you thinks is fair. Best of luck to you! __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

December 27th, 2007, 11:53 AM	#31
Giroud Francois Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: switzerland Posts: 2,133	no unfortunately , i am too old to had the chance of getting the lightweight SIG 550. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIG_SG_550 i use to hold the heavy and retired SIG 510 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIG_SG_510 But thanks to this training, i have no fear to lift a FX1 for several hours

December 27th, 2007, 01:37 PM	#34
Dennis Murphy Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Whangarei, New Zealand Posts: 396	2nd Cam wedding cameramen sleep in tents and live purely on noodles. Everybody knows that.

January 2nd, 2008, 02:54 PM	#36
Jenna Klingensmith Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Near Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 112	Hey everyone, So I did the shoot, he ended up giving me $125 because the day was going to be longer than he expected. I did ask for him to bring a copy of the previous weddings, he brought one, and it was just the ceremony (and I really wanted the reception part, I got plenty of good shots) The copy he gave me of the ceremony skips, and I'm not to happy about that, he said he'd give me the reception, I guess he just didn't have time to make a copy. To answer Michael Nistler, we haven't discussed most of those issues. If my gear gets broken or stolen, I'm sure I'd be screwed. Unless he was somehow responsible.. If I get hurt on the job, then, once again, I'd be screwed, I do recieve a meal however, and I am required to dress up, which does entitle me to go out and buy a new wardrobe. He always goes to the rehearsal, and then fills me in the next day. If the wedding is far away, I drive to his place which is about 25 minutes away, and he drives the rest of the way. So I then don't have to worry about gas, tolls, or mileage on my own car. He also provides the tapes, a tripod (cause I've yet to invest in a professional one), and sometimes he lets me borrow a battery if mine run out, I also work the entire day with him. I think that answers all of the questions Sometimes I feel like there is no need for a second camera during the photoshot, I always think to myself "why am I filming this.. they are getting pictures of it! " Unless something funny happens, or they are interesting photos, then I feel as if it'll bore even the bride and groom to watch, once they've already seen the photos. Let alone.. two of us are filming it, so we're just getting different angles. The other day during photos, I literally turned my camera off, because there was probably about 30 people in this room, taking pictures, most of them were standing around watching (which means they were standing in my way) So the other videographer had a good spot to film the photos, but I did not, so instead of wasting my battery or wasting tape that I knew wouldn't be used, I just waited until they moved from that area. Oh, and around 6, I was starving, Of course it was a reception with a buffet, but we were provided with no seating and no silverware. We ended up eating in a hallway, and had to track down caterers to fetch us some silverware. Lol.

January 2nd, 2008, 10:43 PM	#37
Eric Stemen Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 378	What type of camera do you have again? I think $150 and you buying your own tapes would be more fair. The guy I work for is very generous. I got $400 for a days worth of shooting....but then again I bring equal to and a few nicer items to the table. However, I started out doing just the ceremony for $100 and had the nicest camera(vx-2000)

January 2nd, 2008, 11:44 PM	#39
Jenna Klingensmith Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Near Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 112	I don't quite feel ready to go out on my own just yet. I have very little to put towards a demo, in fact, the first wedding I did, I don't really feel would be that flattering in my demo, as it was a free job, (of course that part doesn't matter) the wedding itself wasn't nearly as glamorous as the weddings I've seen in many of the demo's people have posted on here. Then I've got the ceremony footage from another wedding I did, which was given to me on dvd, and when played back, is extremely choppy (I did ask for another copy, and in addition a copy of the reception) It's all a bit overwelming for me, getting a website, making a demo, and trying to market myself. Especially at such a young age (21), with one camera, I feel that I need to continue freelancing for a while, because honestly, I don't think it'll fly if I try to do this on my own right now. I feel like I should wait ten years before I even start, lol. (maybe I'll look like I'm 20 by then) I'd like to say I'll have a website up and running by mid-year, and thats my goal for now. Beyond that, I don't know what the future holds.

January 3rd, 2008, 01:39 AM	#41
Gabe Strong Major Player Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Juneau, AK Posts: 814	What Chris said!!!! I am nowhere near as good as most of the people here in the wedding forum, I watch the videos they share and wish I could do what they can. But I try to concentrate on doing a solid job, maybe it's not spectacular, but it doesn't suck either. I've done pretty good business that way, honestly being nice to the couple and going the extra mile for them will go a heck of a long way to giving you a reputation as the wedding videographer that couples want to hire.

January 3rd, 2008, 09:09 AM	#42
Daniel Lippman New Boot Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Orlando, Florida, USA Posts: 21	"12 is young" As a 12 year old, I take offense at that! No, seriously. Don't be afraid to get out there and do it! I'm not 12, but I'm not 21 either. I guess I kinda fall in between, at 16. I'm working my own business part-time and making $100-$125 for approximately two hours of work(not counting the editing, approximately the same amount of time, so really, you can half that if you count my editing.) That still comes out to $50-$63 for a part time job. Every 6 weeks I do this, and while I couldn't live off of it, I'm going to school at the same time, I have plenty of time to do other stuff if I feel like it, and since I'm not paying for food or rent, I can put almost all of that money straight back into toys for myself. I have tons of fun, and I could definitely see myself doing this for a living. I hope that you go out there and do it, because you won't regret it!

January 3rd, 2008, 07:21 PM	#44
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Excellent point Travis - you never realize how good or bad your footage is until you must sit down and hammer it into something representing a "final product". It's one thing to shoot footage/pictures, it's an entirely different thing to shoot USABLE stuff! If anyone could do it, you'd get great pictures back from those silly disposable cams I see at many weddings... The more you shoot the more you develop your eye and your technique - it may come easy if you're talented, or a bit harder if you're bull headed enough to keep at it <wink>!

January 3rd, 2008, 07:29 PM	#45
Allen Plowman Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Paradise, california Posts: 353	my 3 cents worth. I do instructional videos, so I own the equipment, but I do not do weddings yet. I am getting married this May, about 150 miles away. the only people I know that could possibly run my cameras are in the wedding. I placed an ad on craigslist, offering 250 dollars for an operator to run two camera for the wedding. I felt 250 for a half days work was fair, using my equipment. I got over a dozen responses, at least half have a bachelors degree in fine arts, and two had a masters degree. most have a very impressive resume and experience. it blew me away what I can hire for that price. several offered to use there own equipment for the same price. I know I could still end up with a lousy cameraperson, however what surprised me was the number of people willing to work for that price, in that area. so I assume I could book a wedding, hire a cameraperson, and never leave my house. is 100 dollars fair for a second camera operator? I would assume it would depend on the demand in your area.